Briefs: Mathews/newport News/franklin/hampton

MATHEWS - ABOUT 10 ACRES OF FIELD AND WOODS AND TWO STORAGE BUILDINGS WERE BURNED IN A MONDAY AFTERNOON FIRE, MATHEWS VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER PAUL HUDGINS SAID.

IT APPEARED SOMEONE WAS BURNING A BRUSH PILE AND THE FIRE GOT OUT OF HAND IN THE WIND, HE SAID.

THE FIRE WAS REPORTED ALONG ROUTE 600 IN BAVON ABOUT 3 P.M. FOUR OR FIVE TRUCKS AND ABOUT 25 VOLUNTEERS RESPONDED; SOME WERE ON THE SCENE AS LONG AS 1 1/2 HOURS. THE STATE FORESTRY DEPARTMENT BROUGHT IN A SMALL BULLDOZER TO ASSIST, HUDGINS SAID.

A STATE FOREST WARDEN IS INVESTIGATING. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO SET AN OPEN FIRE BEFORE 4 P.M., HUDGINS SAID.

MCDONALD'S THEFT SUSPECT CHARGED

NEWPORTNEWS - POLICE HAVE CHARGED A MAN SUSPECTED OF ROBBING A MCDONALD'S RESTAURANT IN THE EAST END ON FRIDAY MORNING.

ALONZO GARY, 25, OF THE 800 BLOCK OF 27TH STREET, IS CHARGED WITH ROBBERY, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, AND POSSESSION OF COCAINE. HE WAS RELEASED AFTER POSTING BOND.

THE ROBBERY OCCURRED AT 8:30 A.M. AT THE RESTAURANT, WHICH IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF 26TH STREET AND JEFFERSON AVENUE. A MAN CAME IN AND ASKED FOR CHANGE.

WHEN THE CLERK OPENED THE REGISTER, THE MAN GRABBED MONEY OUT OF IT, POLICE SPOKESWOMAN DIERDRE RAINES SAID.

AS HE WAS LEAVING, HE ELBOWED AN EMPLOYEE, RAINES SAID. WORKERS AND CITIZENS HELD THE MAN IN THE PARKING LOT UNTIL POLICE ARRIVED. UPON HIS ARREST, POLICE FOUND HIM TO HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF COCAINE, RAINES SAID.

POLICE SEEK HELP IN LOCATING FUGITIVE

NEWPORT NEWS - POLICE NEED THE PUBLIC'S HELP IN LOCATING A WOMAN WHO FAILED TO APPEAR IN COURT ON DRUG CHARGES.

YOLANDA YVETTE TANN, 24, WAS SCHEDULED TO STAND TRIAL IN CIRCUITCOURT ON DEC. 21 BUT NEVER SHOWED UP.

SHE'S 5 FEET 7 INCHES TALL AND ABOUT 150 POUNDS. SHE HAS BROWN EYES, BLACK HAIR AND A MEDIUM COMPLEXION. HER LAST KNOWN ADDRESS WAS IN THE 700 BLOCK OF ADAMS DRIVE.

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HER IS ASKED TO CALL CRIME LINE AT 1-888-LOCK-U-UP. ALL CALLS ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND CALLERS DO NOT HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR NAMES OR TESTIFY IN COURT.

SUIT: DEATH FAULT OF ELDERLY WOMAN

FRANKLIN - VIRGINIA B. "SI" DAVIS WILL BE HEADING BACK TO THE COURTROOM.

DAVIS, AN 89-YEAR-OLD FRANKLIN WOMAN, GRABBED NATIONAL ATTENTION LAST YEAR WHEN SHE PLEADED GUILTY TO A CHARGE OF VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH OF HER 51-YEAR-OLD COMPANION, JOHN WIMBROW.

WIMBROW'S SISTER AND PARENTS HAVE FILED A $10 MILLION WRONGFUL DEATH SUIT IN ACCOMACK COUNTY. THEY HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE MONDAY IN NORFOLK TO ANNOUNCE THE SUIT.

THE FAMILY'S LAWYER, ANDREW SACKS, SAID THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH DAVIS' CONVICTION, BUT THEY DO NOT FEEL DAVIS HAS SUFFERED SUFFICIENTLY FOR HER CRIME.

IN A SURPRISE PLEA AGREEMENT, DAVIS WAS CONVICTED IN JULY OF MANSLAUGHTER. SHE WAS SENTENCED TO 90 DAYS OF HOME CONFINEMENT WITH ELECTRONIC MONITORING. SHE ALSO RECEIVED A 10-YEAR SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCE AND WAS ORDERED TO PAY ABOUT $6,000 IN COURT COSTS.

DAVIS HAS MAINTAINED HER INNOCENCE, DESPITE THE GUILTY PLEA.

WIMBROW'S BODY WAS BRUISED FROM HEAD TO TOE, NINE OF HIS RIBS WERE BROKEN, HE HAD BLOOD CLOTS ON HIS BRAIN, AND HE HAD TWO BLACK EYES.

DAVIS COULD NOT BE REACHED FOR A COMMENT ON THE LAWSUIT.

OHIO MAN ARRESTED IN ROBBERY AT ATM

HAMPTON - POLICE ON SUNDAY NIGHT ARRESTED AN OHIO MAN SUSPECTED OF ROBBING TWO PEOPLE AT A DOWNTOWN BANK MACHINE.

DASEAN ENGLISH, 23, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, WAS CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF ROBBERY, TWO COUNTS OF ILLEGAL USE OF A FIREARM AND RECEIPT OF A STOLEN GUN. HE REMAINED JAILED MONDAY IN LIEU OF BOND.

THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE ATM IN THE PARKING LOT OF NATIONSBANK AT THE CORNER OF KING AND QUEEN STREETS, ACCORDING TO LT. J.D. SPENCER. THE TWO VICTIMS WERE ROBBED OF CASH AT GUNPOINT, HE SAID.

NO ONE WAS INJURED.

ENGLISH WAS ARRESTED A SHORT TIME LATER AFTER AN OFFICER SPOTTED HIM NEARBY, SPENCER SAID.

LANE CLOSINGS SLATED FOR I-64 BRIDGE WORK

NEWPORTNEWS - TRAFFIC ON I-64 AT JEFFERSON AVENUE WILL BE REDUCED TO ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION OVERNIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY.

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARE DEMOLISHING THE SECOND HALF OF THE JEFFERSON AVENUE BRIDGE. THE LANE CLOSURES WILL OCCUR FROM 8 P.M. TO 6 A.M. RESIDENTS IN THE AREA MAY HEAR SOME NOISE FROM THE DEMOLITION, BUT WORKERS SHOULD BE MOSTLY FINISHED BY 11 P.M. EACH NIGHT, ACCORDING TO THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

VDOT OFFICIALS SAID THE LANES MUST BE CLOSED AT NIGHT BECAUSE TRAFFIC VOLUMES DO NOT ALLOW FOR THE CLOSURES DURING THE DAY.

VDOT ANNOUNCED TWO OTHER CLOSURES:

* THE LEFT LANE OF THE EASTBOUND TUNNEL OF THE HAMPTON ROADS BRIDGE-TUNNEL WILL BE CLOSED FOR DRAIN CLEANING THROUGH THURSDAY, FROM 9 P.M. UNTIL 5 A.M.

* THE RAMPS ON WESTBOUND I-64 AT EXIT 256B, AT VICTORY BOULEVARD, WILL BE CLOSED WEDNESDAY FROM 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M. CONTRACTORS WILL BE INSTALLING SOUND WALLS.

HER TALK AT 7:30 P.M. IN GAINES THEATRE IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

JACOBY'S BOOK TRACES EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE INTEGRATION IN THREE MAJOR AMERICAN CITIES: NEW YORK IN THE 1960S, DETROIT IN THE 1970S AND ATLANTA IN THE 1980S AND '90S. HER STORY EXPLAINS HOW AND WHY GOT WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SHE NOTES MISTAKES OF THE PAST AND SHOWS HOW PROBLEMS OF 30 YEARS AGO PERSIST.

JACOBY HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT RACE AND OTHER SOCIAL ISSUES FOR 20 YEARS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL JAMES MORRIS, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AND CHAIRMAN OF THE DEAN'S COLLOQUIA COMMITTEE, AT 594-7121.